nge though they might, the horses could not join;
dodge though they might, the bipeds could not catch him. Review,
inspection, and the long ceremonials of the morning went off without the
junior first lieutenant of Battery "X," who, for his part, went off
without ceremony of any kind, Cram's stylish team and wagon with him.
That afternoon he reappeared driving about the barrack square, a pretty
girl at his side, both engrossed in the music of the band and apparently
oblivious of the bottled-up wrath of either battery or post commander.

"Be gorra!" said Doyle, "I'd like to be in his place now, provided I
didn't have to be in it to-morrow."

But when the morrow came there came no Waring with it.

CHAPTER II.

For twenty-four hours old Brax had been mad as a hornet. He was not much
of a drillmaster or tactician, but he thought he was, and it delighted
him to put his battalion through the form of review, the commands for
which he had memorized thoroughly and delivered with resonant voice and
with all proper emphasis. What he did not fancy, and indeed could not
do, was the drudge-work of teaching the minutiae of the school of the
battalion, explaining each movement before undertaking its execution.
This was a matter he delegated to one of his senior captains. For a
week, therefore, in preparation for a possible visit on the part of the
new brigadier-general or his inspector, the six companies of the
regiment stationed at the post had been fairly well schooled in the
ceremonies of review and parade, and so long as nothing more was
required of them than a march past in quick time and a ten minutes'
stand in line all might go well. The general had unexpectedly appeared
one evening with only a single aide-de-camp, simply, as he explained, to
return the calls of the officers of the garrison, six or eight of whom
had known enough to present themselves and pay their respects in person
when he arrived in town. Braxton swelled with gratified pride at the
general's praise of the spick-span condition of the parade, the walks,
roads, and visible quarters. But it was the very first old-time garrison
the new chief had ever seen, a splendid fighting record with the
volunteers during the war, and the advantage of taking sides for the
Union from a doubtful State, having conspired to win him a star in the
regular service only a year or two before.

"We would have had out the battery and given you a salute, sir," said
Brax, "had